RECIPE: My take on Riverford bread

Yesterday, thanks to the snow, I was unable to buy any bread because our local bakery had sold out. So this morning I'm sitting here eating my scrambled eggs on toast on home-made bread and I thought I'd share the recipe, just in case anyone else is struggling to get hold of fresh bread today due to the weather.

Making bread is something I only tend to do sporadically, largely because it is a little bit time-consuming and faffy. There are those smug people who go through life making their own bread and telling others that there's nothing easier, but I'm afraid I'm not quite sure I agree. It's not difficult, but there is a technique to it and it does also take a little time, which depending on your schedule you might not necessarily have.

But a lazy snowed-in Sunday is the perfect time to make a loaf.

I've tried a number of different types but the recipe I always tend to fall back on is from the Riverford Farm Cook Book. 

Riverford organic Farm is an absolutely amazing business that will appeal to anyone interested in shopping local and sustainability. It originated on a farm in South Devon that we visited while on holiday a couple of years ago. Guy Watson began farming organically there in 1985 and delivering his vegetables to local shops, and from this his business grew into a nationwide home-delivery vegetable box scheme with sister farms around the country. Riverford is now one of the country's largest independent growers.

Riverford cook book

At the original Devon farm there is now a restaurant called the Field Kitchen, which is where we enjoyed one of the most tasty and memorable meals we've ever had. The atmosphere was so relaxed and friendly, with guests seated together on huge rustic benches, passing around and sharing huge plates of food as though sat down for a family dinner. But the food itself, all made from fresh, local and seasonal ingredients, was absolutely divine.

We came away from Riverfood with a subscription to their veg box scheme and the firm's cook book. We've now switched to getting a veg box delivered from our local organic green grocer, Banana Bob, instead, mainly because we decided we wanted to support a small local business. But we're still huge fans of Riverford and the cook book gets a regular airing.

The bread recipe in the book makes two loaves, so I tend to halve it to just make one, and the ingredients list below is the halved and slightly amended recipe that I use.

RECIPE: RIVERFORD BREAD (JADE'S VERSION!)

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp dried yeast
1 tbsp honey
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
300ml tepid water
225g malted flour or wholemeal flour
225g white bread flour
75g rye flour
1 tsp salt

METHOD

This morning's bread - thanks Riverford!

This is also a little amended from the cook book - I've sort of developed my own style of making it, so this is my version. Stir the yeast, honey and olive oil into the tepid water and leave for five minutes. Meanwhile, measure out the flour into a large bowl and add the salt. Slowly mix the water mixture into the flour mixture to form a dough. If you need to add a little more water or flour to get the right consistency, that's fine.

Turn out onto a work surface and kneed for 10 minutes, then pop back into the bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave to stand for at least an hour until the dough has doubled in size. Then knock back the dough, shape into a loaf, place onto a greased baking tray and leave to stand again for at least 40 minutes.

Oven bake at 220C for 20-25 minutes, until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Leave on a wire rack to cool.